The Law Society has today expressed grave concerns after Justice Secretary Jack Straw defended plans for
Date Published: 27-05-2009
The Law Society has today expressed grave concerns after Justice Secretary Jack Straw defended plans for "virtual courts" which could see thousands of defendants losing their right to appear in court.
Richard Miller was interviewed by the BBC about our concerns on virtual courts. View the BBC report here
Richard Miller, Law Society Legal Aid Manager, says:
"There are major practical considerations about virtual courts that have not yet been satisfactorily addressed. There are real questions about whether the effect of the virtual court will be to worsen delay and to increase the number of ineffective hearings. People may be kept in custody for longer than they otherwise would as a result of defendants and their solicitors not being able to gather the information necessary for a bail application in the time available.
"The Law Society also has concerns about how defendants will get confidential advice in the time available, and how their lawyer will get access to the relevant paperwork. It is unclear how a legal aid application and its supporting documents will be completed in time for the second hearing if the client is remanded in custody and cannot get access to the documentation.
"The Society has grave concerns over the safety of its members - under this scheme defendants will be sat in a small room right next to their solicitor - Jack Straw avoids the fact that in a conventional court, the client will be in a dock with dock officers. Consent should be retained and if there is to be any question of removing it, a decision should only be made as part of the evaluation of the pilot at the end."
Ends
Richard Miller was interviewed by the BBC about our concerns on virtual courts. View the BBC report here Vote in our on-line poll on the homepage to tell us your views
For interviews and more information please contact Melissa Davis in the Law Society press office on 020 73205811
